service and gratitude

From 1 October 2017, there will be a change in Roman Catholic canon law that will mean that local Conferences of Bishops will be the final arbiters of the liturgical translation used in their region. Currently, Pope Francis’ motu proprio, Magnum Principium is only available in Latin and in Italian. There is an unofficial English… Continue Reading

I was born in Rotterdam – after its heart had been destroyed in the Second World War (see image above). You can see the ruins of the medieval St. Lawrence Church. I have spent most of my life in Christchurch. It’s heart was destroyed in the Quakes beginning in 2010. Rather than reinstate the medieval… Continue Reading

Let us pray (in silence) [that we may love God in our hearts and in our actions] Pause Lord, [or God of compassion] direct our hearts by the action of your mercy, for without your help we cannot please you; through Jesus Christ who is alive with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,… Continue Reading

I pray Daily Prayer. It is also called the Divine Office, the Breviary, the Liturgy of the Hours, Morning and Evening Prayer, Matins and Evensong, and Compline, Lauds, Vespers, and so on and so on… This discipline of praying psalms, reading a passage(s) from the scriptures, and interceding and giving thanks… this discipline that is… Continue Reading

I regularly advocate that people read the Bible s-l-o-w-l-y, prayerfully. I encourage the practice of Lectio Divina where I suggest “Use only a small passage of scripture. This is not drinking beer it is sipping a liqueur.” I have been creating a series going through Matthew’s Gospel line by line, word by word (start here).… Continue Reading

Many people may have missed that week by week I have been pointing to introductions to the Sunday readings. Many places tell the congregation what they are about to hear. I think this restricts what we might hear the Spirit saying to the Church, what you might hear the Spirit say to you individually. On… Continue Reading

When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to… Continue Reading